Chad Hohn – “I haven’t paid for gas in 2 years!”
By Chad Hohn
I initially went looking to place an order for a Nissan leaf in June of 2011 when the vehicles were first hitting the lot. I showed up to poke around and get a taste of excitement at the dream of owning this new technology. I was expecting that I would be waiting for several months like everyone else who happened to be interested in the vehicle, little did I know what would be in store for me!
With its benefits of not paying for gas while producing zero emissions I was entirely captivated with the idea of owning and driving a fully electric vehicle and it just so happened that someone who reserved a leaf declined the purchase of it the very same day I happened to walk into the Nissan of Auburn dealership. While I showed interest in purchasing this vehicle I thought there would be no way I could make it work – I mean face it I was 20 years old when I walked into the dealership on this sunny Washington day. Fortunately I found someone the next day who wanted to buy my 1999 Honda Civic!
My Grandmother Co-Signed the loan and I walked out the door a proud owner of a brand new Nissan Leaf! After signing up for the Blink charging station program through EcoTality I received a free home charger installed for quick level 2 charging which enabled the Leaf to be the only vehicle I own. I have driven over 26,000 miles in just under 2 years. The most exciting part of owning a Leaf is the fact that it has so much available instant torque, its more than capable of beating any teenagers “Ricer” off the line at a stoplight with ease and is as quiet as a breeze.
Oh, did I mention that including the fact that it is very up to date with Bluetooth music and calling, backup camera, available USB ports, LED headlights that will last for many years beyond normal headlights and a solar panel on the spoiler to charge the 12v battery that runs electronics inside, I HAVEN’T PAID FOR GAS IN 2 YEARS!!! The Leaf is not only up to date in awesomeness, it’s also cost effective!